Fall
by Zekae
Summary: Ruby Moon Sapphire started an epic story with two amazing chapters, but she was unable to continue. So I reposted it and am continuing! Idea and first 2.162 chapters are credit to Ruby Moon Sapphire. Amestris has fallen, and Bradley reigns over all but one lonely city... Risembool.
1. Fall

**There is a former FanFiction writer by the pen name of Ruby Moon. I was her beta for a story called Fall, in which Amestris had crumbled into ruin and Ed, Al, and Envy were living together with their mother. I helped her out a bit, but she was unable to continue. She asked me to take over, and I didn't want to take her account, so I am uploading it from my account. She wrote the first two chapters and the beginning of the third, but I will continue. Big thanks to her for starting this epic story, but hopefully she will contunue writing! Enjoy!**

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Amestris had fallen. Collapsed, into chaos, nothingness. Crime was everywhere, death and destruction ruling thier lives. This was what had happened to the empire. It hadn't survived its test. The government went first. Then the order. Finally, everything was wiped. Buildings torn down, bodies lying on the ground, rotting or burning their way into death.

Then, a mafia had taken over, building new structures, organizing watchers. They enslaved the people, forcing them to do their dirty work. At the top, Bradley reigned, demanding respect and cutting down whomever may stand in his way. The infection of the 'sins' had spread everywhere. Everywhere except a small town:

Risembool.

They were protected by a barrier. One the Rockbells had planned, worked on for hours, activated, and eventually, died for. People didn't get in, and they didn't get out, because it was indestructable. They farmed for their food, dug their own ores, and created their own tunnels leading to the desert and Creta, though hardly anyone ever went. Mainly, they only went for trade, and even that rarely. They traded extra crops for metals or wood, their own ores for others. It infuriated Bradley. He wanted it for his own. But it was impossible. The barrier served its purpose, keeping the corrupt out. It didn't mean Bradley didn't stop trying.

One boy didn't mind it. The other one did. One brother would do anything for his brother. The other one always followed. One boy was different. One boy was a ghost. One man, would change their lives forever.

* * *

_**-Six Years Into the Barred Age.-**_

"Ed? Brother, where'd you go?" Al, the youngest brother, called. Alphonse was thirteen now, and was the youngest of three brothers. William, the eldest, followed Al, hands stuffed into his pocket.

"I'm telling you, the pipsqueak went home."

William, or Envy, was actually only the two's half-brother. He was a homunculus they had made by accident while trying to create a false father. Ever since their real father left, their mother has been in a state of depression. But the two brothers made her happy when they were around. Alphonse had lost his body in the process, Ed losing his left leg and right arm. He was fitted with automail from the Rockbell's daughter and grandmother, the only survivors of the Wall.

"_I'm not a pipsqueak_!" Ed yelled, jumping down from the tree he had taken refuge in.

"See, Envy! I told you he didn't go home! Besides, Granny'd kill him if he did. He's all muddy!" Al blinked his ghostly eyes. "Oh! Let's go wash up in the river!" Al floated around happily in loops. "The water's always so nice and cool!"

"It still amazes me that you figured out how to solidify." Envy grumbled. "I can't do much anything cool."

"Are you kidding?" Al exclaimed. "I'd _kill_ to be able to transform into people! That's _so_ cool!"

"Yeah." Ed agreed. "You have to admit it _is_ pretty cool. I don't even have a Talent. Alchemy doesn't count, either. Anyone can do that."

Al frowned, tugging Ed's sleeve to make him walk faster.

"Cheer up, brother! I'm sure you'll find your Talent soon!"

That was the problem with the barrier. It caused few harmless radiation fumes that more than often causes children to be born with strange abilities. After the Elrics, the people of Risembool stopped having children for fear of mutation. Even before the incident, Al was able to put part of his soul into inanimate, even animate, objects and control them with ease.

"Maybe his Talent is being normal?" Envy suggested, smirking.

"Envy! That wasn't nice!" Alphonse chided. Al rarely called Envy 'brother'. Not because he didn't like him. No, that was hardly the case. He mainly avoided calling Envy 'brother' because that's what he called Ed, from the day he learned to speak. If you asked Al who Envy was, he would say his brother, no doubt. Al loved his brothers, despite the names he called them.

"Being normal isn't a bad thing." Envy pointed out.

"When it comes to me it is, apparently." Ed grumbled, shoving his hands further down his pockets.

Al scowled, but the three continued walking down the hill, the crystal water beckoning them. The three went almost everywhere together, excluding the bathroom. Though Envy had his quirks, the trio got along well, and didn't fight, often.

Alphonse suddenly turned tangible, running down to the water, only to splash wildly into the river.

"Come on! You need to get clean brother." Al turned to Envy, smirking. "And _you_ need to have some fun!"

Envy recoiled, blinking.

"_Me_? I always have f-" Envy wasn't allowed to finish as Edward shoved him roughly into the water, laughing. "_Edward_." Envy warned, his green hair dripping with water.

Edward ceased his laughing, looking carefully at his older brother. Suddenly, Envy grinned menacingly.

"You're _mine_." Envy lept at Ed, grabbing him by the collar and flinging him into the water. He laughed at the soaking Edward, kicking water in his face.

Al chuckled too, looking at the annoyed look on Edward's face as he blew air up at his cowlick.

"At least he's getting you clean, brother."

"Yeah, clean." Ed mumbled, propping his head up on his automail hand.

"Oh cheer up, pipsqueak! We'll be dry by sunset. You always like watching those."

"_I'm not a pipsqueak!_" Ed shouted, leaping up.

"Of course not." Envy laughed, setting a hand on Ed's head.

Al grinned, turning intangible, then invisible and creeping up behind the two.

"_Boo~!_" Al yelled, sending the two brothers toppling over.

"What the hell!?"

"Wah! Al! Stop doing that!" Envy fell next to Ed, rubbing his temples.

Al was too busy laughing to notice either, or the flashing light coming from the house.

"Al! Mom's calling us. Look, the light!"

Finally, Al stopped laughing long enough to notice the flashes. He solidified quickly, shaking the water out. Their mother didn't know about Al's condition or Envy's existence, and thought Edward had lost his arm and leg in a cattle accident. A transformed Envy, disguised as a farmer, vouched for it. During the day, Envy called himself William, and was believed to be an orphan by Trisha. She adopted him out of sympathy, and out of belief it was good for her children, as they had taken an akin liking to him.

The trio raced home, all grinning like fools as Ed dried with alchemy, and Envy transformed into 'William'.

"Welcome home boys." Trisha smiled, placing a pie on the window sill to cool. "Sorry I made dinner a bit early. I figured you'd be able to come run a favor with me after?"

"Yes ma!" The three coursed. The three had eager faces as they took in the scent of the lemon chicken their mother had cooked.

"Alright you boys. Go ahead and eat. I'll be back in in a few." she said with a smile, and walked away.

The three dove into the food, Ed not even bothering to sit until he had taken a few bites.

"Hmmmm...Mom always makes the best food." Ed said between mouthfulls.

"Her pies are even better!" Al agreed, stuffing his own face.

"Mhmm." Was all Envy could say as he chomped on a piece of a homemade bread loaf.

After dinner, Trisha shooed them out the door, following close behind.

"Where are we going?" Al asked, trailing next to his mother.

"We're going on the...Other Side." She answered, fiddling nervously.

"_What_? But mom, that's dangerous!" Ed argued. "Why don't you just let us go and you can stay home?"

"I can't, honey. I have to do a bargain."

They continued down the road, reaching the tunnel entrance. The tunnel was always locked, and only registered barter members had keys. It had an underground door and a titanium padlock. Trisha knelt, unlocking it.

"C'mon boys, down we go."

"Okay..." _I still don't think this is a good idea,_ Ed thought to himself as they climbed down the ladder.

"What are we bargaining, mom?" Alphonse asked innocently, his eyes trying to adjust to the dank lighting.

She continued along the path, the dark and damp soil leaving dainty footprints.

"Just some jewels, dear." she responded.

_-Just jewels. Nothing that can harm us, right?-_

Wrong.

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**A/N: So what do you think? Pretty epic, right?**


	2. Aerugo

**A/N: Here's chapter 2!**

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The four climbed out of the tunnel, surveying the area before them.

"...Wow. It's so...different than I thought." Ed commented, blinking as if he was trying to believe he was actually _there_. The country was nothing like Edward expected.

Envy snorted, folding his arms as he kicked the door closed behind him.

"What did you expect? Dungeons and Dragons?"

"Unicorns and rainbows?" Al added, snickering.

"Calm down boys, we have to get going. Al, hold on to the key for me, I'm afraid I'll forget it somewhere." Trisha dropped the keys into the younger boy's now-tangible hands, smiling as she dusted her hands on her apron. She started walking toward a dirtier part of town.

"Mom, why are we going this way? All the jewelery stores are that way!" Al pointed to his right, the opposite in which his mother was going.

"Because, honey. What I'm looking for isn't over there."

"What is it you're looking for?"

"Something that will keep you three safe." She responded softly, gripping her cloth sack tightly.

"But what about you, ma?"

She once again avoided the question, approaching a filthy looking man.

"Incarnate, zero, three, tango, mocha."

The man narrowed his eyebrows, but nodded and led them down an alley all the same.

"Now, what might a pretty lady like you be looking for?"

"I'm looking for Diego. He is said to have what I am looking for."

"And what is it you're looking for?" The man lit up a cigarette, grinning like a madman.

"Credentials."

The man's smirk receded, a frown taking it's place.

"Dangerous thing you're looking for, lady. The name's Jerri. C'mon, I'll take you to the boss." He pushed away a dumpster, revealing a small trapdoor. "Follow me. _Carefully_."

The brothers looked at each other warily, but went with their mother conformably.

"I don't like the looks of this." Ed hissed under his breath. "It looks too much like a gang hideout."

"Who's to say it isn't?" Envy countered, smirking.

"Boys." Trisha warned, her eyes stern. "Quiet."

Jerri led them down, the damp walls giving off a moldy smell. Once inside, they could see carpeted...everything. There were poker games going on, as well as pool, and smoke was _everywhere_. Some of the filthier men even had the nerve to stare at Trisha, but warded off by the threatening glares the trio of trailing boys gave them. Finally, they made it to a private room, a tall, but skinny, man sat in a velvety chair smoking a cigar.

"Eh, Boss. The lady here wants _credentials_." Jerri said to an overweight man behind a desk.

"Say what now? Na' why'd a pretty little thing like you want something like that? Tryin' to get outta the country?" Diego said, a little on the smarmy side.

Trisha gripped the bag once again, trying to calm herself. The smoke exposure wasn't helping.

"We're not from Aeurgo. We're from Risembool."

The boss raised his eyebrows, snubbing the cigar.

"The only surviving independant village in that dump of Amestris, huh? A'ight. How many sets ya want, then?" Diego grinned menacingly. "And more importantly, what have you got to offer?"

Trisha set the bundle on the desk, the sides falling to reveal four _very_ large diamonds, three emeralds, and two blood-red rubies the size of tangerines.

The boss whistled appreciatively.

"Where'd you get _these_?"

"Family heirlooms." She had finally calmed her breathing, adopting a dignified look. "The documents?"

"Yeah yeah. Jerri? Get'm four."

"Got it boss." Jerri wandered off into what they assumed was a records room. Minutes later, he returned, handing them the files.

"Here y'are. I'll see ya to the front."

Edward stared mistrustingly at him, but followed all the same. Exiting the alley, the small family heard screams, and violent gunshots.

"Boys!" Trisha yelled, shooing them. "We have to get back to the entrance! Go!" She pushed them ahead, sprinting. No sooner had they heard her scream behind them.

"Mom!" Al yelled, rushing back to her side. "No! Mom!"

"R...run!" Trisha had been shot in the stomach twice, blood oozing out. "Take the documents...and run..." She passed out, soon to be dead if not taken care of.

"Al! C'mon, we have to go!" Envy screamed.

"Hold it right there, Amestrians!"

The trio turned to find a line of Amestrian mafia soldiers lined up, poised to shoot.

"How did you escape?!"

"Why you-"

"Ed, don't." Envy stopped him. "They'll shoot before you have the chance to hit the ground."

"I asked you a question!" The blue-clad man once again yelled. "Where did you-" He screamed as flames licked the men, shriveling most of them to bones.

"What the hell?"

"Are you alright?" A boy, no older than eighteen, came running up to them, panting. His onyx black hair was matted with dirt and sweat, and after looking more closely, Ed noticed his eyes were just as black.

"Who are _you_?"

"No time for that. We have to get out of here, and get that lady-"

"She's my mother." Ed interrupted.

"Your _mother_ needs some medical treatment. Is there anywhere you know we can get her?"

"Not anywhere we're taking _you_." Envy snarled. "How do we know you're not one of _them_?"

The coal haired man stared at them in bewilderment.

"Envy! He just killed a squadron of soldiers! I don't think the mafia would want him doing something like that." Al tore his face away from his mother. "He just saved our lives! We aren't going to just _leave_ him!"

"Whatever we do, we need to get out. There are more coming!"

"For Gate's sake, just c'mon!" Envy whipped his hand around, catching Ed and the new-comer by their collars. "Let's go!"

Al picked up their fallen mother, and, turning intangible (besides his arms) , he brought her down the trapdoor with the others.

"Brother, alchemize the door shut!"

Ed clapped, and placed his hands on the door, sealing it from further use.

"I'll have to tell everyone I'm going to make a new one. Now that they know where this one is, we can't use it." Edward turned to the boy, placing his hands on his hips. "What's your name, bastard?"

"Roy Mustang, at your service." He grumbled, running a hand through his matted hair. "You got a shower, wherever you're from?"

"...Definitely a Bastard."

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**A/N: Not much to say for these chapters, except a disclaimer:**

**Ruby Moon Sapphire and Zekae both do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, just as Zekae does not own the idea for this story, or the first 2.162 chapters of said story.**

**Hope you enjoyed, and see ya in the next chapter!**

**~Zekae**


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